


i love you like a fat lady loves apples

by jukeboxpills



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Pennywise (IT), M/M, Meet-Cute, Reddie, all good mannered bitching, ben is kind of a dufus sorry, bev is my favorite, bill only has one line, but like in the good way, eddie didn't grow up in derry but the rest of them did, eddie's got a trashier mouth than the trashmouth sorry, it's not canon compliant, like he's just bitchy to richie, mike is a sly devil, most of the actual plot from the movies/book didn't happen here, patty is mentioned, patty named her baby after a killer clown, stan is a bitch, there is a scene on a plane, there is mentioned benverly and patty/stan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:21:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24077392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jukeboxpills/pseuds/jukeboxpills
Summary: Richie arrived at LAX at nine-thirty pm and got through customs and onto the plane by ten-thirty with fifteen minutes to spare before the gate closed for boarding. Just as he thought they might tell him to put his seatbelt on, someone came rather loudly through the about-to-be-closed door, obnoxiously clacking a suitcase over the entrance. Richie looked up and saw a very small, very flustered man quickly apologizing to the flight attendant about his tardiness and waving his ticket around with his free hand.
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 4
Kudos: 40





	1. the flight

**Author's Note:**

> the losers r late twenties, early thirties. old enough to b out of college and settled, but young enough that they don't all own houses yet. like, think millennial age.

“Please, Rich, you know how much it would mean to me.” Richie Tozier huffed angrily into the phone, not about to say no but wanting Bev to think he might consider saying no. If he made it seem like such a burden on himself, Beverly Marsh might be apt to return a much bigger favor in the future. Of course, Richie could never say no to his life-long best friend no matter how much she inconvenienced him. He would drop everything for her in a heartbeat.  
“Weh-yull, Miss Marsh, I do declare that I might just have to do that for yeh,” Richie drawled in his old Buford Kissdrivle Voice. “As hard bearin’ as it would be on my ol’ achin’ back.”  
“Thank you, Richie!” Beverly practically shouted. “You won’t be disappointed, I swear. You might actually get something out of it, have some fun.”  
“Bevvie, there is no way in hell I am going to have fun,” Rich said. “People are disgusting and annoying and I make fun of them for a living and I do not want to fly halfway across the world just to talk to more of them and I’m only doing this because I love you but believe me there is no way I am going to have fun. Oh and don’t forget to tell Haystack he’s a son of a bitch and he should be kissing my feet for helping him out with this.”  
Richie didn’t have to be able to see her to know she was rolling her eyes when she said, “Beep beep, that’s gross. The only feet he’s kissing are mine–” (“Fuck, ew.”) “–and we both really do appreciate this. A lot. We would get Bill to do it since he’s usually in the country anyway, but he’s busy shooting whatever movie it is that he’s working on in Atlanta, and Mike really can’t call off from his job right now.”  
“And Stan?”  
“Are you kidding me, Rich?” Beverly asked, perplexed.  
“Am I supposed to know what that means?” Richie wracked his brain for some sort of information he should know about Stan that he was missing.  
“His wife literally just gave birth,” Bev said. “We went to Patty’s baby shower, like, a month ago.”  
“Well, Stan isn’t Patty,” Richie said. “She can take care of the little tyke herself, can’t she?”  
“I’m not talking about this anymore. I’ve already booked you a room for the next two weeks at a place just down the street from me and Ben. Check-in is tomorrow between 4 and 7 pm so get your shit together and get on the next flight to London.”  
“Yes, Mom,” Richie said. And then, “You already booked my room? Before you even asked?”  
“I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist me,” Bev said. “I’ll text you more details but please don’t be late, we need you there this week and the hotel you’re staying at will give your room to someone else if you don’t check in on the same day.”  
“Shit, is it fancy?” Richie said.  
Bev ignored him. “And bring a poncho and umbrella, it’s supposed to rain the whole time.”  
“What else could you expect from the great old motherland of tea and crumpets?”  
“Shut up. I can’t wait to see you, I love you, you’re the worst and I love you.”  
“Bye, Bevvie,” Richie said and blew a raspberry into the microphone. “Love you too.”  
“Goodbye, Richie.”  
Once Rich had pressed the “end call” button he immediately dialed the number of his travel agent to book a flight for the next day to England. As he was talking to Ms. Feeny with one hand, he was shoving all of his clothes haphazardly into his only suitcase with his other, taking note to pack mostly long sleeves and jeans for the wet cloudy weather.  
Carol Feeny was able to get him a flight out of LA that same night with one layover in Chicago, to arrive in London around 11 am. Unfortunately, there was nothing she could get him in first class on such short notice so he’d be having to spend the night in economy. He thanked her kindly and hung up the call in order to get a cab and get to the airport before his plane took off without him. 

Richie arrived at LAX at nine-thirty pm and got through customs and onto the plane by ten-thirty with fifteen minutes to spare before the gate closed for boarding. He silently cursed Beverly for waiting until the very last minute to spring this incredibly huge favor on him, but he knew he didn’t have anything better to do for the next year or twenty. He had a job as a disk jockey at a local studio, but he practically ran the place since being hired just two years prior. Everyone in the studio loved him and everyone who listened to him loved him. It hadn't been a well-known station before Richie showed up, so they basically owed him the entire business. His boss really wouldn’t mind him having to call off for the rest of the month. He had a flexible schedule as is, plus he’d already pre-recorded some sessions that they could spread out while he was away.  
And, other than his job, Rich didn’t do much of anything. He was young and spritely and should have been able to go out and have fun, but his best friends were constantly busy or lived in different parts of the world and he wasn’t seeing anyone, and going clubbing alone was sad and pathetic. He did go to bars every once in a while to pick up some twink when he was feeling especially lonely, but he hadn’t had a committed relationship in years. Getting to drop his somewhat lacking routine to go see his friends and see a new city was the most fun thing he’d done since college if he was being frank.  
Richie knew he should thank Bev later for the opportunity. He checked his watch and figured that it would be nearing 4 in the morning in the UK and Beverly had probably just gone to sleep since she was up talking to Richie not two hours ago. Too late to call her. He would just thank her when he saw her, then. In the meantime, he thanked whatever god was looking down on him that he got an aisle seat with nobody directly next to him, so he’d have all the room he wanted to stretch his unreasonably long legs while he tried to sleep. He straightened his legs diagonally (still with some difficulty), leaned his seat back just a bit, linked his fingers behind his head, and waited for the announcement to come on that the plane was going into liftoff.  
Just as he thought they might tell him to put his seatbelt on, someone came rather loudly through the about-to-be-closed door, obnoxiously clacking a suitcase over the entrance. Richie looked up and saw a very small, very flustered man quickly apologizing to the flight attendant about his tardiness and waving his ticket around with his free hand. The flight attendant looked miffed and, for some reason, nodded in Richie’s direction. The man thanked her before clacking his stupid suitcase down the aisle until he got to Richie and Richie thought for a moment he was being booted off the plane, but the man simply shoved his things into the overhead and then started crawling across Richie’s lap.  
“Excuse me,” he said, stepping over Richie’s legs and sticking his butt in the air. “Just trying to get to my seat.”  
After a second of dumbfounded staring, Rich realized his legs were in the way of the small man, who apparently was going to be sitting next to him. “Oh, sorry dude,” Richie said, trying to sit up straighter. “Here, let me–” He pulled his legs in at the same time the guy was pulling his foot over Richie’s shins and he tripped, falling onto the arm of the chair he was trying to get into.  
“Ow, shit.” Richie looked on awkwardly as the man sat halfway in the chair, clutching his side and scrunching his nose in pain.  
“Sorry,” Richie said again. “Sorry, I was just…”  
“I’m fine,” said the man. “I’ll probably just end up with a nasty bruise and some swelling.”  
Richie mumbled another apology, not sure what else to say.  
“I’m Eddie,” the man said. He held out a hand to Rich who had turned himself a little farther towards the aisle, not wanting to egg on this random stranger who might get violent. Although, Eddie did seem too small and skinny to do any actual harm.  
“Richie,” Richie said, accepting the hand and turning back towards the strange dude.  
“Pleasure to meet you,” Eddie said.  
“Believe me,” said Richie, or rather, said Kinky Briefcase, “the pleasure is all mine.”  
“What was that?” Eddie asked, giving Richie a confused look. “What just happened to your voice?”  
“Oh, sorry,” Richie said, this time as Richie. “It was nothing.”  
Eddie seemed like he was going to say something else, but the captain cut him off, welcoming them all and giving the routine pre-flight speech over the loud-speaker. Eddie turned away and so did Richie, grateful for the awkward conversation to be over but wanting to hear more from Eddie. Once the airbag instructions were concluded and they were in the air, Richie glanced back at Eddie, hoping he could start a new conversation, less awkwardly this time. Eddie had already fitted a big pair of headphones over his fluffy brown hair, though, and Richie knew well enough that he didn’t want to be bothered.  
Richie sighed and sat back in his seat, upset now that he wasn’t able to fully stretch his legs, and the reason why wasn’t even going to humor him with a conversation. He assumed Eddie would have to take his headphones off at some point during the next four and a half hours, and then he’d be able to catch him for a chat and maybe a chuck or two. 

Richie woke up to the sound of the pilot’s voice again and a warm hand on his arm, shaking gently.  
“Richie,” Eddie said. “Richie, wake up we’re landing.” Richie blinked at him and smiled in the split second before he realized how stiff his back and neck were.  
Eddie sat back in his seat while Rich sat up, rolling his head and pushing his arms out to either side in a stretch that put his hand dangerously close to the other man’s lap. “What time is it?” he asked. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep for the entire plane ride.  
“A little after three,” Eddie said. “We’re about to land so you have to put your seatbelt on.”  
“You woke me up just to tell me to put my seatbelt on?” Richie said, looking at Eddie. “Why couldn’t you have just done it for me and let me sleep?”  
Lucky for Eddie, the lights above them were too dim for anyone to see the blush that crept up the sides of his neck and face and that indication. “You’re going to have to get off the plane in a couple of minutes, anyway,” Eddie said. There was no reason for him to be blushing at this man he hardly knew and hadn’t even had one proper conversation with. A man he would probably never see again.  
“Too bad for me,” Richie said, flopping dramatically back into his seat and clicking his seatbelt into place.  
“Why is it too bad?” Eddie asked when he didn’t elaborate.  
“I never got a chance to talk it up with the cutie next to me.” Richie grinned and ruffled Eddie’s hair, acting bolder than he felt, but not wanting to let Eddie get away without at least exchanging numbers first. To his disappointment, Eddie shoved his hand away.  
“You could get lice, dipshit,” Eddie said, smiling despite his words.  
“You have lice?” Richie asked.  
“No, but you don’t know that,” Eddie said. “And who knows where your hand has been?”  
“Your mother knows exactly where it’s been,” Richie said with a smirk and a wink. He dropped the joke when Eddie didn’t react. “Where are you headed?”  
“Maine,” Eddie said. “Though, I probably shouldn’t tell you that. In case you’re a murderer.”  
“Oh, yeah. Now that I know you’re going to be in Maine I’ll definitely be sure to murder you,” Richie said, rolling his eyes. “That makes the job so much easier.”  
“I’m going to see my mom,” Eddie said, not really sure why he was telling this to a stranger. “She’s sick.”  
“I’m sorry,” Richie said and Eddie shrugged. “I’m going to London to see some friends open up a big building. It’s gonna be grand.”  
“What kind of building?”  
“Some sort of hotel, I think?” Richie said. “No, an office building. Either way, it’s somewhere people go to do things.”  
“That narrows it down,” Eddie scoffed. The plane had landed and the door was opening. Everyone around them was standing and stretching and retrieving their bags.  
“Well,” Rich said, “I guess this is goodbye, Eds.”  
Eddie stood from his seat. “My name is Eddie.”  
Richie stood as well, having to bend a bit to keep his head off the ceiling. “Whatever you say, Spaghetti Eddie.”  
Eddie huffed and Richie smiled at him. He really didn’t want this to be the last time he saw Eddie. The man was so intriguing and cute and Richie felt like they were meant to meet, to be together. And like this wasn’t the first time they were meeting, but rather a reunion, a reconnection of old friends. He would, of course, never say that out loud because he didn’t want to sound like a crazy person. But he really didn’t want Eddie to get away from him so easily. People were starting to file out the door sleepily, walking like zombies and bumping into each other as they went. The cabin was emptying.  
“How long will you be in Maine?” Richie asked.  
“About a week,” Eddie said. “I’m really just going down for a quick visit. My mother has nurses and people to help her with everything, I just like to get down to see her once a month or so.”  
“You ever think about going to London?”  
“I’ve never left the country,” Eddie said. “I don’t know if I have enough money to go to London, anyway.”  
They were some of the last people on the plane at that point, so Richie slowly moved to pull his and Eddie’s bags down. “Well if you find yourself in London in the next two weeks, just ask about Ben Hanscom’s new office building and you’ll be sure to find me milling around there somewhere. Or if you just wanted to see a new office building.” Richie chuckled nervously. He knew it was a dumb offer. They’d spent a total of three minutes together and already Richie was asking this guy to fly to another country just to see him? Who did Richie think he was? The queen? He wasn’t even offering to buy Eddie’s tickets or get him a room, he just told him to go to London and ask for Ben Hanscom. For all he knew, Eddie might have a partner and Richie was only seeing what he wanted to see.  
“Okay, random stranger,” Eddie laughed, “I’ll be sure to ask for some sketchy guy in a foreign country to meet up with a man who could be a drug dealer for all I know.”  
Richie cringed at how much more horrible his offer seemed when Eddie had that reasoning. Well, at least he knew that was off the table, and he probably shouldn’t have even asked. “Hey,” Richie said, handing Eddie his suitcase and starting towards the door. “Marijuana doesn’t count.”  
“Oh my god, Richie I wasn’t serious!” Eddie gasped and hit his arm with the back of his hand. “What if I’m a narc?” Richie grinned but didn’t turn back to look at Eddie.  
They said nothing else until they were spat out into the terminal, harsh lights flickering high above their heads. Richie motioned to the right, in the direction of his next flight. Eddie nodded and did the same, but in the opposite direction.  
“I guess this is goodbye, then,” Richie said. Eddie nodded but stepped closer rather than walking away. Under the fluorescent lights, Richie could see a faint spattering of freckles across Eddie’s nose and cheeks, and how his chapped lips were pressed together in a way that let Richie know he was clenching his jaw. Richie stepped impossibly closer. He wanted to ask for Eddie’s number but he didn’t know how and he didn’t want to break whatever moment was happening between them right now. Richie felt like he could kiss him so easily, just lean down and press his lips to those chapped ones, bring his hand up and feel Eddie’s jaw unclench and go slack with Richie’s touch, taste what Eddie tasted like, breath in Eddie’s air. But he didn’t know Eddie. He might’ve been happily married to a lady who was sick with worry to how his flight fared, sending him texts now, reminding him to take his pills. Richie didn’t know Eddie, and you don’t just kiss people you don’t know. Not at airports, anyway.  
Eddie breathed out hard and Richie could smell mint gum and the slightly sour smell of hunger. “I have to go,” Eddie said, but still made no move to leave.  
“Me too,” Richie replied. “But I wanted to ask…”  
Eddie raised his eyebrows.  
“I, uh...I lost my phone number, would you mind giving me yours?” Richie’s face broke into a shit-eating grin as Eddie took on a look of pure horror and disgust. Eddie shoved him a bit, but couldn’t help the giggled that bubbled out of him at Richie’s idiotic pickup line.  
“You ass,” Eddie said, despite the smile he was desperately trying to conceal. “Give me your phone.”  
Richie handed him his phone and watched as Eddie typed his number into Richie’s contacts and sent himself a smiley face emoticon. He handed the phone back to Richie who immediately changed his name from “Eddie” to “Eddie Spaghetti” before shoving it back into his pocket.  
“I really do have to go now, Rich,” Eddie said, taking a step back and leaving Richie feeling like he’d just stepped away from a campfire. “I need to board my plane.”  
“Really?” Richie said. “I thought maybe you made a point to be late for all of your flights.” Eddie rolled his eyes but smiled. “Okay, then, Mr. Spaghetti. It was a pleasure meeting you. I do hope we can meet again soon.”  
“Well, you were coming from LA,” Eddie said. “Do you live there?”  
“Oh, Eds, you’re cute and smart!” Richie said, trying again to fluff Eddie’s hair and failing when Eddie ducked. “Yes, I do live in LA.”  
“I do too,” Eddie said. “Maybe once you’re back we can meet up.”  
“I would love nothing more. I’ll see you in two weeks, then?”  
Eddie nodded and hiked his backpack farther onto his shoulder. Richie scratched the back of his neck, unsure of how to say goodbye. “I guess that’s it then,” Eddie said.  
“Yeah,” Richie said. “I’ll see you in two weeks.”  
“I’m looking forward to it.” Eddie nodded again and backed away. He almost tripped over his suitcase before waving one last time and turning around so he could walk away without the threat of tripping or running into someone.


	2. the date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> richie returns and he and eddie have a little outing:)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE HELP ME THINK OF A GOOD TITLE I CAN'T THINK OF ONE AND I NEED A GOOD ONE

Eddie didn’t have a lot of friends. He had coworkers, though, and that’s pretty much the same thing, right? His work took up most of his time and he liked it that way. It was something he could really get into, letting the numbers and stats fill his brain as he fixed his focus and got in the zone. Plus, he was good at it and it paid pretty well. Unfortunately, most of his coworkers were terribly dull. That’s usually what you get when you work at an insurance company. There was really only one person there that had the same level of enthusiasm when it came to absolutely anything. Mike Hanlon. Eddie didn’t really know why Mike worked at an insurance firm. He was really smart. He probably could’ve had a job anywhere he wanted. Plus, his personality really didn’t meld well with the job.  
He only ever shrugged when Eddie asked him about it. “I like doing research,” he’d say. But Eddie was grateful to have him around because that meant he had someone to talk to when he couldn’t focus on his work. Eddie’s personality wasn’t completely insurance firm worthy, either. Sure, he was kind of uptight most of the time and he was always watching for risks, even when he wasn’t being paid to do so. But he was a lot more...flamboyant than the type you’d expect to find in his position. As it was, he and Mike became fairly instant friends and spent the majority of their lunches and breaks together. Eddie wished their friendship would have extended to outside the workplace, but Mike always seemed so busy. Plus he had real friends that Eddie didn’t want to intrude on. But Eddie always came to him when he had something he needed to talk about and boy, did he have something he needed to talk about.  
“Mike!” Eddie called out. It was the Monday after he’d gotten home from the weeklong visit with his mother and a week and some days since he’d met Richie. “Mike, wait up!” Eddie jogged to catch up with Mike as he was crossing the parking lot, a sweater wrapped tightly around his shoulders in the early October chill.  
“Hey, Eddie,” Mike said, smiling warmly. “How’s your mom?”  
“She’s fine,” Eddie said. “The same, it doesn’t matter. That’s not what I need to talk to you about.”  
Mike raised his eyebrows and held the door open for Eddie as they entered the building. “Then what is it?”  
“I think I met someone!” Eddie said, a little louder than he meant to. He got a look from the lady at the front desk and his cheeks went pink. He said again, quieter this time, “I think I met someone.”  
Mike chuckled at him. “That’s great! How’d you meet?”  
“It’s actually a funny story,” Eddie said. They got on the elevator and pushed the button for the fifth floor. “We met on the plane. We sat next to each other. Anyway, he slept the whole time and he’s gorgeous when he’s asleep although we didn’t get to talk much then but I gave him my number when we got off the plane and we’ve been talking all week!”  
“Have you seen him since?” Mike asked.  
“No,” Eddie said. “He was flying to London when I was flying to Maine, but he’s actually from LA, and he’s coming back next week. God, Mike, I can’t wait to see him again. He’s so hot and tall, but he’s also really pretty, and he’s got gorgeous dark hair and these big blue eyes that are magnified even more by his thick ass glasses.”  
Mike looked like he’d just realized something hilarious and was trying to force back a laugh. “What did you say his name was?”  
“Oh yeah,” Eddie said. “His name is Richie.”  
Mike clapped a hand over his mouth and turned away from Eddie as the elevator dinged. He quickly stepped out into the hall, pushing past someone trying to get onto the elevator.  
“What?” Eddie asked. “What’s wrong with you? Are you laughing?”  
Mike coughed into his sleeve and looked at Eddie. His eyes were starting to water from holding back laughter. “No, I just had something stuck in my throat, I think,” he said. “I’m really happy for you, Eddie. He sounds great.” Mike dissolved into a coughing fit that sounded a lot like he was laughing.  
“Whatever,” Eddie said and brushed past him. “Once he gets back I’ll introduce you to him. He’s great, I swear.”  
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Mike mumbled under his breath at Eddie’s receding figure, a smile still on his face. Mike had no way of proving or knowing for sure that this was his Richie that Eddie was talking about, but by that description, he was pretty certain it was the very same Trashmouth Tozier, proud member of the Losers’ Club.  
Once Eddie had cleared the corner into the office, Mike pulled out his phone and dialed Ben Hanscom’s number.  
“Mike?” Ben’s voice crackled through the speaker into Mike’s ear.  
“Ben,” Mike said. “You’re with Richie, right?”  
“Not currently,” Ben said. “But theoretically. Yes, Richie is here in the same area I am.”  
“Right,” Mike said, ignoring how weird his friend was. “I have to ask you, do you know of a man named Eddie Kaspbrack?”  
“Eddie fucking Kaspbrack,” Ben huffed. “I haven’t stopped hearing about him for the past week that Richie’s been here. That man seriously cannot shut his damn mouth. Has Rich been telling you about him, too?”  
“No,” Mike said. “Richie hasn’t been talking to me. Eddie Kaspbrack is my co-worker and he’s been telling me about Richie.”  
“Shit,” Ben chuckled. “What a weird coincidence. Have you told Ed you’re friends with Richie?”  
“He prefers Eddie,” Mike said out of habit, having been corrected so many times himself. “And no, I haven’t. Do you think I should?”  
“I wouldn’t. It’s more fun that way. Pretend you don’t know who Rich is.”  
“I think you’re right.” Mike picked at a piece of lint on his jacket before checking his watch. Eight fifty-seven am. “Though, he probably will find out eventually if he and Richie ever become a thing. Richie will want to introduce him to the Losers.”  
“I still think it would be fun to pull that prank on him,” Ben said. “Only if you guys are close enough, of course.”  
“Yeah,” Mike said. “Maybe. Anyway, I have to get going. Don’t want to be late for work.”  
“Bye, Mike.”  
“See ya.”

Richie spent two weeks texting almost non stop with Eddie. Beverly threatened to take his phone multiple times because he was on it while he was supposed to be luring people in to see Ben’s new building. The job they gave him was just so boring, and Eddie was just so amazing. Richie couldn’t help himself. They talked day and night without pause about everything and anything and called or FaceTimed most of the nights Richie was away. Richie loved talking to him and it seemed like the feeling was mutual. They wanted to know everything about each other. Richie told Eddie about his childhood in Derry with the Losers and his neglectful parents and the homophobic bullies. Eddie told Richie about how he’d grown up not too far north of Derry, how his mother had lived there once but moved away when she realized she was pregnant because she wanted to keep Eddie safe from all of the child murders that happened in that town. They came to know each other’s favorite color, favorite food, favorite movie, worst fear. Richie knew about the oppression Eddie faced from his mother in terms of his health, social life, and sexuality. Eddie knew about the complete lack of care for Richie’s health, social life, and sexuality from Wentworth and Maggie Tozier.  
They discovered that they lived in the same area of Los Angeles and Richie couldn’t believe he’d had someone so perfect living right under his nose all this time and he didn’t know it till now. They planned a date for the day after Richie got back (so he could recover from jet lag first) at a little coffee shop they both liked. Richie had never been more excited about anything in his life.  
“Richie.” Bev and Ben had taken him to their favorite pub to celebrate the new structure going up on the last night that Richie was in London.  
“Beverly,” Richie said, taking his eyes off of his phone to look at her.  
“You’re supposed to be spending time with us,” Bev said. “I mean, I know you like this guy but have you taken a break from your phone once since you got here?”  
“Bevvie, darling, I love you so much. And you too, Haystack. But this man is my future.” Richie clutched his phone to his chest, ever one for dramatics. “You two are my past.”  
“Are you saying you’re dumping us?” Ben asked.  
“Not dumping you,” Richie smiled. “I’d say we’re just taking a break.”  
Beverly rolled her eyes. “You’re only here one more day, then you can run home to the love of your life. Can’t you wait that long and spend some time engaging in face to face human conversation while you’re here?”  
“Oh, Bev, you know I wish I could,” Richie said. “It’s really too bad, isn’t it?”  
“Rich, come on.” Beverly gave him a glare so hard he thought she’d burn a hole right through his face.  
“Fine, dear,” Richie sighed, giving in. He set his phone face down on the table. “Happy now?”  
Bev smiled and patted his hand before lifting her glass to her lips. Within three seconds Richie’s phone buzzed. He ignored it and kept his eyes locked on Bev’s but it buzzed again. And again. And again.  
“Come on, Bev,” Richie groaned. “He’ll think I’ve died or something!”  
“Holy shit,” Ben said. Beverly just shook her head and took another drink. 

Richie’s hands were sweating like crazy as he walked the three-block distance from his condo to the coffee shop he and Eddie had chosen for their date. It was about halfway between their houses and a place they both regularly visited, and it was quite a wonder they had never bumped into each other there before. Rich wiped his palms on his jeans and wished he hadn’t chosen such a thick sweater. It was hotter than he thought it would be, but he couldn’t take it off now, or else his pit stains would show through his tee-shirt. He could only hope the coffee shop would be air-conditioned so he could cool down a bit before having to touch Eddie and get him all sweaty. Richie thought now about how he would go about touching Eddie. Would they shake hands? Hug? Kiss? He hadn’t been on a date in years and he’d seemingly forgotten all dating etiquette. He just hoped Eddie would know what to do.  
Richie was more nervous about this than he thought he would be, hence the clammy palms. He didn’t think it would be this daunting since he practically hadn’t stopped talking to the other man since they met, but meeting again in person after having built up such a persona through the phone was nerve-wracking.  
He wiped his hands one more time before pushing through the frosted glass doors of the coffee shop, a cool coffee-flavored breeze hitting him in the face as he stepped in. He was glad for the temperature drop. He looked around, wondering if Eddie was already there. He didn’t have to wonder long, only about two seconds before he was attacked by Eddie’s surprisingly strong arms around his shoulders.  
Richie let out a puff of air at the sudden impact and Eddie stepped back. “Hi, Rich,” he said, much more timidly than his previous actions had displayed. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”  
Richie shook his head and smiled. “It’s good to see you, Eds.”  
“I’ve already gotten us a table over there,” Eddie said after rolling his eyes at the nickname. He motioned to Richie’s right where an empty circular table sat with two chairs and two mugs. “You told me you like three sugars and a bit of milk, so that’s what I got.”  
Richie pulled Eddie back into a hug. “Aw, you already have my coffee order memorized.”  
Eddie pushed him back, but that only made the blush on his face visible to Richie. “I’m not going to take you to get coffee and get the wrong thing.”  
They sat, then, and sipped their coffees, chatting about their days. Eddie asked Richie how his flight home was. (“Not nearly as eventful as the flight there. And a little lonely with no one watching me sleep.”) He asked about Bev and Ben. Richie asked Eddie how his mother was, how he was doing at work, and if he’d had any good chucks lately.  
“What the hell is a chuck, Richie?” Eddie asked.  
“You know, a chuck. When you chuckle.”  
Eddie hit him lightly on his shoulder. “You mean a fucking joke?”  
“Watch your language, we’re in public,” Richie said. “And, yes. A chuck can be compared to a joke.”  
“Okay, Trashmouth,” Eddie said.  
Richie laughed and kicked Eddie’s foot under the table. “Eddie gets off a good one!”  
Eddie grinned at him. “Shut up,” he said as he kicked Richie back. Richie retaliated and they were launched into a full-blown game of hardcore footsie. Both men had to hold their mugs of coffee above the tabletop to keep from spilling them because of how much the table shook from their legs hitting it. They only stopped when they were shot a horridly dirty look from the lady at the table next to theirs.  
“Sorry,” Richie called to her through his fit of laughter. Eddie’s face was red and he was wheezing with it. “Are you okay, man? Do you need an inhaler?”  
Eddie shook his head as his laughter subsided and he started breathing again. “Shit,” Eddie said. “I haven’t needed an inhaler in, like, fifteen years. Not since I was a kid.”  
“Does asthma go away like that?” Richie asked, wiping tears from his eyes.  
“When you don’t actually have asthma it does,” Eddie said. “I told you about the crazy shit my mom made me believe. Thought I had asthma, and I really did need an inhaler until I figured out it was anxiety-induced and learned how to keep from constricting my airways so much during panic attacks.”  
It was Richie’s turn to say, “Shit.”  
“Yeah,” Eddie said.  
“I wish I could’ve been there for that,” Richie said. “Man if I knew your mother before she got sick I would’ve beat the shit out of her for doing that to you.”  
Eddie scoffed. “No, you wouldn’t. You said you ran from people your own size when you were a kid. My mother could have put one hand on your head and you’d be squished.”  
“That’s not a nice thing to say about your mother,” Richie said.  
“Neither is saying you’d beat her up.”  
“Besides, the kids I ran from were not my size,” Richie continued, ignoring Eddie’s statement. “Henry and his goons had all been held back and were practically adults when we were in middle school. Plus, his psycho dad gave him a knife that he used to almost kill good ol’ Benny boy.”  
“Seriously?” Eddie asked. “He almost killed Ben?”  
Rich nodded. “Almost killed Mike, too. With his car.”  
“Wait, I forgot about Mike. Geez, Richie, you have so many friends. It’s hard to keep up with all of them.”  
“There are only five of them,” Richie said. “Although, it’s not surprising you’d have trouble given the fact that you have a grand total of zero friends.”  
“I have friends,” Eddie pouted. Richie made an ‘oh yeah?’ face. “I have you. And I have work friends. One of them is also named Mike.”  
“I think work friends don’t count as real friends,” Richie said, “and I hardly count because we just met.”  
“Two weeks ago.”  
“Yes, but this is only the second time we’re seeing each other in person.”  
Eddie looked up at Richie through his ridiculously long eyelashes. “And hopefully not the last?”  
“Eds,” Richie said. “If this is the last time I ever see you, I swear to fucking god I will run a dagger through my heart.”  
Eddie smiled and grabbed Richie’s hand where it was laying on the table. “Why do you have to be so morbid?”  
“I simply can’t live if it’s not with my Eddie Spaghetti.” Richie shrugged and ducked when Eddie used his free hand to throw a crumpled-up napkin at his head. They hadn’t really discussed anything in the way of romantics. They both knew the other was single and into men, and it was pretty clear that they were on a romantic date (they were holding hands across the table, after all) but they hadn’t made it explicitly clear what their relationship was at this point. Richie really hoped Eddie liked him as much as he liked Eddie, and he definitely would not deny if Eddie asked to be boyfriends. Although ‘boyfriends’ did seem a bit adolescent. Whatever they called it, though, Richie would be happy as long as they were together.  
Neither moved from their seat until both coffees were long gone along with a cake pop for Richie and a blueberry scone for Eddie. Neither wanted to move. They wanted to stay in that little shop, ankles locked and fingers fiddling with the others’ until they turned to dust and blew away. But Richie had an interview with some random new rapper that night and he couldn’t miss it after having blown off the last two weeks. His boss had been a little more furious at him than Richie imagined he would be and he really couldn’t afford to skip any more work. He told all of this to Eddie, who frowned at Richie for being so irresponsible.  
“I gave my boss a month’s notice for my trip,” he said.  
Richie sighed. “It wasn’t my fault. Beverly didn’t let me know she was going to need me until the day before she needed me.”  
Eddie shrugged and stood up, gathering their trash. “Oh, come on, Eds, I don’t need to be there for another half hour.”  
Eddie smiled and bumped Richie’s shoulder with his hip as he passed by him on the way to the trash can. “How could you expect anyone to respect you if you’re not punctual?” he asked when he’d gotten back to the little table.  
“I work with musicians,” Richie said, also standing now. “Nobody is punctual. Ever.”  
Eddie shrugged again and smiled. “At least they’re consistent.”  
Richie grabbed Eddie’s hand as they walked towards the door. “Yes, and you’re going to ruin my consistency.” Eddie just hummed in response.  
“Want me to walk you home?” Richie asked him when they’d gotten to the sidewalk.  
“And risk giving my address to a possible murderer?”  
Richie dropped his head. “I thought we’d already decided I wasn’t going to murder you.”  
“You can never be too sure,” Eddie said. “Besides, you have to get to work, so there’s no time for that.”  
“Fine,” Richie said. “I’ll text you later then, I guess.”  
“Of course,” Eddie said. “We’ll set up another date, maybe.” Then Eddie reached up and kissed Richie’s cheek lightly before turning on his heels and walking away.  
“I hate seeing you leave but I love watching you go!” Richie called after him, grinning wide to himself and touching the spot on his cheek that had just been kissed as if he were thirteen years old.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope u enjoyed this chapter :) third one will b up tomorrow. also the third one is the best so stick around for it. this chapter is my least favorite out of the three but i think it's still cute idk lmk what u thought pls i love everyone reading this right now, yes including you :)


	3. eddie meets the losers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the title sums it up

“What if they hate me?” Eddie asked, running a hand down Richie’s chest.  
“C’mon, babe,” Richie said. “I don’t think anyone could hate you. Plus, the Losers don’t hate anyone, really. Just mean people. And you’re not mean. Except for the fact that you call me an asshole five times a day.”  
“Only when you deserve it,” Eddie mumbled. “But you’re already such a tight-knit group. I doubt they would let someone else in.”  
“They let Patty in,” Richie said.  
“Patty?”  
“Stan’s wife.”  
“Oh yeah,” Eddie said. He was having trouble remembering all of the Losers, not to mention the extensions. “I forgot about her. But they’re married. We’ve only been dating for a couple of weeks now.”  
“It’ll be fine, Eddie. They’ll love you.”  
“What if I can’t remember their names?” Eddie asked.  
“Just make some up,” Richie said, chuckling at his own joke. The Losers still hadn’t met Eddie, despite Richie never shutting up about him and them being ‘officially’ together for about a month. But all of the Losers were going to be in Los Angeles for one night only, and they were all getting together as they did whenever they all happened to be in the same place. So, of course, Richie was dragging Eddie along to introduce him to his best friends.  
“Rich,” Eddie whined. “You know I can never remember all of them. It’s so confusing and there are so many of them.”  
“Seriously, Eds, it won’t be so confusing once you meet them. They’re all different enough that you won’t have any problems switching them up or anything.”  
Eddie sighed and buried his face in Richie’s neck. They were lying on the couch watching IGTV like they were fifty and making out like they were eighteen. Eddie was in the perfect position on top of Richie with his face in the taller man’s neck to put his lips to the sensitive pulse point and suck, drawing a groan out of his boyfriend.  
“Darling, I can’t show up to meet my friends covered in hickeys.”  
Eddie ignored him and moved his head lower, laying kisses on Richie’s skin all the way down to his collarbone. He licked it before lightly biting at it and sucking again, loving the way he could feel Richie’s chest rise and fall at an accelerating pace underneath him.  
“I really hope your friends like me,” Eddie said, lifting his face to look into Richie’s eyes. He pulled off Richie’s glasses in order to get a better view. In the dark room lit only by the TV, Eddie felt like he could see every spot and spec in the light blue of Richie’s irises. He admired the way they were lined by a ring of dark blue and colored in the middle by the slightest hint of brown that you could only see when Richie was looking into the sun. Eddie had spent a lot of time thinking about and looking at Richie’s eyes.  
“They will,” Richie said, craning his head up to kiss Eddie on the lips. “I know they will.”

Richie and Eddie showed up to Mike’s house with a six-pack of beers on Saturday night.  
“Can you go over their names one more time please?” Eddie asked before they got out of Richie’s car.  
“Sure, babe,” Richie said as he turned off the engine, “but I’ll introduce them to you with their names, you know. It’s not going to be a guessing game.”  
“I know, I know,” Eddie said. “Just one more time.”  
Richie sighed and turned to his boyfriend. “There’s Bev and Ben, Bill, Mike, Stan, and Patty.”  
Eddie gasped as if he’d just realized something important. “Will I need to know last names? Rich, you haven’t told me their last names!”  
“Eds, baby, you definitely don’t need to know last names,” Richie said. “What do you think this is, the eighteen hundreds?”  
Eddie sighed and dropped his shoulders. “Okay. You’re right.”  
“Seriously, I don’t know why you’re so caught up on their names,” Richie said, getting out of the car and starting up towards the front door. “The six of us hardly ever call each other by our real names, anyway.” Richie rang the doorbell. They heard a woman’s voice shout “I got it!” and a second later the door was being opened by a pretty redhead.  
“Bev!” Richie exclaimed, reaching up with his free arm to hug her tightly. When he pulled away he motioned to Eddie and said, “Beverly, this is Eddie. Eddie, Bev.”  
Beverly smiled and Eddie accepted her hug with both arms. “So I finally get to meet the famous Eddie. Richie’s told me so much about you I feel like I know you better than I know myself,” she laughed. “Well, come on in. Everyone else is already here.” Bev took the six-pack from Richie’s hand and stepped aside to let them through the door.  
“This meeting of the Losers Club has officially begun!” Richie said loudly as he stepped onto the threshold with Eddie at his shoulder. He grinned wide at the sight of the Losers all sitting in a circle in Mike’s living room, most of them glaring at Richie. (It was only the Losers. Patty hadn’t come because she had to be at home with the baby, but Stan got to sneak away for one night.) Rich turned his head to Eddie, about to announce him to the group and start introducing everyone, but stopped when he saw the look on Eddie’s face. His jaw was hanging open and his eyes were bugging out. Richie looked back to his friends and spotted Mike with a mischievous look in his eye and a shit-eating grin on his face. “What?” Richie asked, very confused.  
“Mike!” Eddie shouted. “What the fuck!?”  
“Do you know each other?” Richie asked, but was once again ignored.  
“Hi, Eddie,” Mike said calmly. “How are you?”  
“Mike Hanlon! Why didn’t you tell me you were friends with Richie?”  
“Must’ve slipped my mind,” Mike said. “And I don’t know if you ever told me his last name. Could’ve been any Richie.”  
“You knew, you fucker,” Eddie said. “You knew! How dare you keep this from me?”  
“Is Mike your co-worker Mike?” Richie asked, still pretty confused.  
“Yes!” Eddie shouted at him before realizing he was in front of multiple people he’d just met for the first time and had wanted to make a good first impression. He lowered his voice. “Yeah, that’s the same Mike.”  
“I’m surprised you didn’t figure that out, Rich,” Mike said.  
“I’m not,” Stan chimed in from his spot on the floor.  
“He must’ve known we worked together,” Mike said.  
“Richie’s not that smart,” Stan said. “Nor does he pay enough attention to anything. I doubt he even knew where you worked.”  
Richie shrugged. “Honestly, Mikey, I didn’t know where you worked. Bores the hell out of me to listen to anything that includes the word insurance.”  
“Well, that is really weird and a bit of a fun surprise,” Eddie said, seeming to get over his initial shock. “But I still can’t believe you didn’t just tell me you were friends with Richie!”  
Mike smiled sweetly at him. “I think it was more fun that way. If you’d known we were friends you probably wouldn’t have told me so much about how you wanted to–”  
“Alright, Mike, I get the point.” Eddie quickly cut him off before he could reveal any of his embarrassing water cooler confessions.  
“Well,” Richie said, taking Eddie by the arm and bringing him to sit on the floor next to the couch, “if we’re done with that debacle…” Richie pointed out everybody one by one to Eddie, minus Mike who he apparently already knew.  
The Losers took to Eddie with no hesitation, just as Richie assumed they would. Eddie fit like a missing puzzle piece into their group and was accepted much quicker than even Patty had been. None of the other previous partners of any Loser had been welcomed with such wide-open arms, but Richie could’ve called that. When they were younger and all still dating around, their boyfriends and girlfriends weren’t necessarily unwelcome, but they were sometimes unintentionally shunned. The Losers were just so close that they didn’t think twice about trying to include somebody else. They talked and whispered and joked amongst themselves and might’ve forgotten to pay any attention to an extra person when they were all together like this. Patty had felt the same bit of dejection from the group, but Stan (the always sensible) had made sure to keep her up to date with the dumb jokes and conversations being passed around. The Losers all fit together like one person and it was easy for an outsider to be lost in the constant stream of voices and laughter and sentences started here, continued there, and ended by someone else. That wasn’t the case for Eddie, though. He melded into the group perfectly, not only joining but adding to what they already had. He brightened the dynamic and didn’t fall behind or misstep in anything any of them said. Not even once. It almost took Richie by surprise how well he worked with them. Richie had expected them to like Eddie right away and for Eddie to like them, but it took growing up together and shared trauma to get to the point that the Losers were at with each other. To someone looking in, it would’ve seemed like Eddie had been there all along. Like he had grown up with the six others. Like he was meant to be there. Like it was meant to be the seven of them. The lucky seven.  
Seeing Eddie in this new light, not just as a partner but as one of the people he was closest to gave Richie a better perspective. Not that the one he had of Eddie before was bad, it just filled his heart to see Eddie interacting like this with those Richie heald dearest, those that meant the most to Richie. Rich could see the way Eddie fit in. He wasn’t there as “Richie’s boyfriend.” Maybe that’s who he was when he’d shown up, but that was not what he was then. At that moment he was Eddie. He was one of them. And Richie loved him more than anything else in the world.  
They spent the night eating and drinking and laughing, catching up with each other as much as they could in the time they had together.  
“How’s the baby, Stan,” Bev asked at one point.  
“She’s a horrible little monster,” Stan said but didn’t try to hide the adoring smile that sprouted on his face. “Does nothing but cry. Kinda like Richie.”  
Richie flipped him off while Eddie said, “I love kids. You know I could watch her if you and Patty needed some time off from parenting.”  
“Eddie, how could you possibly handle all of the puke and shit that comes out of a baby,” Richie said. “They’re like not-yet-walking germ machines.”  
Eddie shoved him. “They’re cute, asshole.”  
“Besides,” Rich continued. “Stanley’s not gonna let some stranger have his kid.”  
“I don’t know,” Stan said. “It might be kind of nice. I don’t think either of us has gotten a full night of sleep since she was born.”  
“What’s her name?” Bill asked. Patty didn’t want to know the gender of her baby before it was born, so she didn’t have a name at the baby shower, and neither she nor Stan had updated the rest of the Losers on the name since their daughter’s birth.  
“Oh yeah,” Stan said. “I forgot we hadn’t told you guys. Her name is Penny.”

Richie and Eddie took their time saying goodbye to the Losers when it was time to go. They didn’t leave until well after midnight, but Richie wasn’t in the least bit tired. He felt wide awake and really, really happy. He felt like he could fight a monster. But, unfortunately, there were no monsters to fight. So he and Eddie hopped in his car and drove away from Mike’s house and away from their friends.  
“Want me to drop you off at your place?” Richie asked Eddie as he drove.  
“I thought maybe I could stay with you tonight,” Eddie said. “I don’t have anywhere to be tomorrow.”  
Richie smiled and hummed like he had to think about it. “I don’t know, Spagheds. I was getting kind of sick of you. Might just drop you off here if that’s okay.”  
“Whatever, dickwad,” Eddie said. “Just trying to be a nice guy and do my boyfriend a favor or two.”  
“Oh,” Richie said. “You hadn’t mentioned any favors.”  
“Yeah, I’d definitely have to help you out with some things if you let me stay the night,” Eddie said, the pitch of his voice dropping. “Repayment for your kindness and hospitality.”  
Richie cleared his throat. “And what kind of favors would you be doing?” It was turning into a bit of a struggle to keep his eyes on the road and not look at Eddie’s face.  
“I think you know what kind of favors,” Eddie said. He leaned over the center console and ran his fingertips from Richie’s ear and down his arm. He knew how risky it was to be distracting the driver like this, but he couldn’t help himself. Eddie smiled to himself as he brought his voice back up to a normal pitch to say the next part, “Do some laundry, unclog the toilet, maybe do a bit of grocery shopping for you.”  
“I know you think you just pulled some kind of funny joke,” Richie said, “but the thought of you doing housework is equally as appealing as anything else you might’ve said. Especially if you were wearing one of those little maid outfits.”  
“Richie that’s sexist!” Eddie said.  
“How is it sexist?” Richie asked. “We’re the same sex!”  
Eddie rolled his eyes even though he knew Richie couldn’t see it. “I don’t know, it just is.”  
“How about you keep going with what you’ll do once we get back to my place,” Richie said, “and make it sexier this time.”  
“And get into a car crash?” Eddie scoffed. “No thanks. I don’t want to do that.”  
Richie huffed. “C’mon, man you can’t just leave me hanging like that!”  
“Guess you’ll just have to wait to see what I’ll do,” Eddie said.  
“Is that a promise?” 

Eddie could hardly wait for Richie to lock the door behind him before pinning him up against it by his shoulders, kissing him hard and slow. Richie sucked in a breath of surprise before retaliating with similar enthusiasm.  
“Woah, Eds,” Richie said, breaking off for a second. “Got some pent up tension from the car ride over?”  
“Shut up,” Eddie said and pulled Richie’s mouth back to his with a fist in Richie’s collar. They stayed like that, sucking and licking at each others’ mouths, Richie’s hands running along Eddie’s back, Eddie’s hands balled up in Richie’s shirt and hair, for a few pleasant moments. Then Richie pushed away from the wall and walked Eddie backward, still kissing him, until they got to the sofa where Richie sat and pulled Eddie down on top of him so he was straddling Richie’s thighs. Eddie moved his mouth from Richie’s in preference of moving slowly down his jaw, under his chin, to leave kisses in a line down Richie’s prominent windpipe.  
“You’re so fucking hot,” Richie sighed, using his hands to rake through Eddie’s short hair. Eddie hummed, in either acknowledgment, thanks, or agreement, and sucked harder on the skin at the base of Richie’s neck. Richie couldn’t keep back a moan when Eddie moved on to a particularly sensitive spot where his neck met his shoulder. “Yes, Eds,” he crooned. Eddie brought his face back up to Richie’s to kiss him again and Richie caught Eddie’s bottom lip between his teeth and pulled, loving the way the breath all seemed to leave Eddie at once. Eddie gripped the back of the couch and shuffled his knees up so that he was pressed fully against Richie. Richie moved his hands slowly down Eddie’s spine to grip his ass at the same time that Eddie rolled his hips into Richie’s, eliciting a sound from both of them.  
Richie liked having sex. Most people did. Richie liked the feeling of being touched, of touching someone else. Richie liked how it felt. Richie was obsessed with the feeling of the man he loved touching him. The feeling of Eddie Kaspbrack on top of him, all over him, was enough to make Richie cream his pants. And, possibly even more than that, Richie loved touching him, making him feel good, drawing noises and moans out of his pretty mouth. Richie loved the thought of himself being the one to make Eddie feel good, make Eddie want more, make Eddie come.  
Richie groaned into Eddie’s mouth and tugged at his shirt. Eddie pulled back long enough to pull it over his head, and Richie followed suit before their mouths came back together, meeting in the middle. They slid their tongues over lips, teeth, pulling and pushing like they couldn’t get enough of each other, like they would never be able to get enough of each other. Whispered words of praise and adoration and encouragement were passed in breaths between the two as they ground against each other, using their fingers and hands to find and explore every inch and crevice of the other’s body as if it were both the first and last time they could have touched each other.  
Suddenly, Eddie stood. Richie practically sobbed at the loss of warmth and touch, but Eddie was already grabbing his wrist and pulling him up and down the hallway, not bothering to close the door as they shucked the rest of their clothes and found each other again on the bed. And once again mouths were moving as if they’d never stopped, hands were roaming as if they could do nothing more. The two men lost themselves in each other. They laid themselves bare for the other to pick apart or put back together. They gave themselves up completely in the most primal and ancient way any creature could. Each trusted the other with his heart and body, and right he was, as they used each other with care and passion, taking what they needed and giving back tenfold. 

“Richie?” Eddie was laying with his head on Richie’s chest, their legs linked under the sheets.  
Richie felt more than he saw Eddie shift his head to look up at his face in the darkness. “Yes?”  
Eddie hesitated and drew in a breath. “Do you...think we’re moving too fast?”  
“What do you mean, darling?” Richie asked, his left hand rhythmically smoothing Eddie’s hair down. (Richie might’ve been slightly obsessed with the fluffy, soft brown hair on the man’s head and really preferred it loose, rather than slicked back as Eddie wore it for work.)  
Eddie sighed hard. “I don’t know. I mean, we only knew each other for a couple of weeks before we started dating. And the majority of that time was spent with absolutely no interaction except over the phone.” Richie could still feel Eddie’s eyes on him.  
“And?” Richie said. “You date to see if you’re romantically interested in someone. We’re dating and we decided we’re romantically interested in each other.”  
“I don’t know,” Eddie said again. “I just feel like we weren’t friends for very long before we started dating. And having sex.”  
“Do you want to stop having sex?” Richie asked. He felt Eddie shake his head. “Good. I don’t think your mom could keep me as satisfied as you do,” he said and then thought better of it. “Sorry, I probably shouldn’t make ‘your mom’ jokes. Given the circumstances. But, Eds, what are you getting at? We like each other. Why does it matter how long we knew each other before we figured that out?”  
“I guess it doesn’t…” Eddie said. “I just…” he sighed again. “I just wanted to make sure you didn’t feel like we were moving too fast when I said I love you.”  
Richie smacked his ear with the hand that had been petting him. “Is that what that was about?” he asked. “You just wanted to come up with the most stressful way to say you love me?”  
Eddie shrugged. “I love you, Rich.”  
“I thought you were gonna break up with me, Eds,” Richie said. “I thought you’d gotten sick of me after such a short time and were gonna tell me you never wanted to see me again!” Richie cupped a hand against Eddie’s jaw and brought him up to meet Richie with a kiss. When Eddie had settled back down Richie said, “I love you too, Eddie.”  
A moment of silence long enough for either or both of them to have fallen asleep passed before Eddie piped up again. “But you don’t really think we’re going too fast, do you?”  
“No,” Richie said. “I don’t. I think that I want to be with you, fast or slow. The speed of progression through the meaningless yet inevitable marching of time does not dictate my love for you.”  
“God, Rich do you have to be so dismal?” Eddie turned his face into Richie’s chest.  
Richie chuckled. “Sorry. I love you.”  
“I love you,” Eddie said.

**Author's Note:**

> i have the entire fic finished already, but i'm uploading it in three different parts. i wrote it as three diff chapters. i just needed to finish it all before i could upload the first bc i had to keep going back and changing things that i disliked or adding things i changed, u know how it is. plus, if i uploaded the first chapter without finishing the whole thing it never would've gotten done bc that's the kind of person i m. also, i haven't used ao3 in two years and don't rly know how the formatting works so don't blame me if the formatting is all fucky.


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